You should also have carbon monoxide detectors in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and common rooms for extra safety while you and your family are sleeping. It is important to install CO alarms on every level of your house so all family members can hear the detectors and be alerted to the emergency. Where should you install carbon monoxide detectors? It is important to have these appliances regularly serviced and cleaned by a professional to help prevent a CO leak that could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. The three main sources are your home’s furnace, dryer vent in a drying machine, and fireplace or chimney. What are the main sources of carbon monoxide in a home?Ĭarbon monoxide can be produced by any fuel-burning device. Every second counts, and First Alert CO detectors can help provide you and your family the advanced warning necessary to escape your home during an emergency. In the event of a carbon monoxide leak, it is critical that you get to fresh air as soon as possible. What does a carbon monoxide detector do?Ĭarbon monoxide alarms detect the poisonous gas and help provide an early warning. When considering purchasing and installing CO alarms in your home there are a few things you should know beforehand: 1. The carbon monoxide detector is a safety device that can alert homeowners of a CO leak and help them escape a potentially life-threatening situation, like carbon monoxide poisoning. What is Carbon Monoxide? Carbon monoxide (CO) is known as the “silent killer” because it is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is poisonous to humans. If the alarm chirps five times every minute this indicates the alarm has reached it’s end of life and needs to be replaced.Let’s start at the source.If the alarm is still under warranty, please contact customer support. If your alarm chirps three times every minute this is the malfunction signal meaning the alarm is not working properly and needs to be replaced.If your fire or carbon monoxide alarm chirps once per minute this is a low battery warning, and you should replace the battery immediately.Refer to your alarm’s user’s manual for specific alarm beeping pattern information. Smoke and CO detectors can also chirp to indicate different things. What Does the Chirp From my Detector Mean? For more recommended placement and installation tips of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, visit our Safety Corner.In areas where a 20-foot distance is not possible – in modular, mobile, or smaller homes, for example – it is recommended smoke alarms be placed as far from these fuel-burning sources as possible.Keep smoke and fire alarms at least 20 feet from sources of combustion particles (Combustion particles form when something burns) like the stove, furnace, water heater, or space heaters if possible, or in poorly ventilated kitchens, garages, and furnace rooms.Within 10 feet of any cooking appliance or in air streams near kitchens because air currents can draw cooking smoke into the smoke sensor and cause unwanted alarms.Īt least 10 feet from extremely humid areas like the shower, sauna, humidifier, vaporizer, dishwasher, laundry room, utility room, or other source of high humidity.In extremely dusty, dirty or greasy areas like garages, furnace rooms, crawl spaces and unfinished attics.Areas your your detectors should not be installed include: You may have placed your smoke and CO alarms in an area prone to false alarms, so relocate the detector if it sounds frequent unwanted alarms.If your smoke or carbon monoxide alarm becomes contaminated by excessive dirt, dust or grime, and cannot be cleaned, you should replace the detector immediately.Never use water, cleaners or solvents because they can damage the detector. A can of clean compressed air, found at computer or office supply stores, may also be used. Gently vacuum the outside of the alarm using your household vacuum’s soft brush attachment.Clean your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms at least once a month:.If you have a battery powered detector, change the batteries in the unit at least every six months.Test your smoke alarms and CO detectors monthly to ensure they are working properly. You can help reduce nuisance alarms by following a few simple maintenance and installation tips: Maintenance and Installation Tips to Reduce False Alarmsįalse alarms can be frustrating, especially when they occur in the middle of the night or when cooking. However, if your smoke or carbon monoxide detector sounds indicating an emergency and you are not certain it is a nuisance alarm, evacuate the home and call 9-1-1. False or nuisance alarms are when your smoke detector or CO alarm goes off, but there is no presence of smoke or carbon monoxide in your home. Smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors can false alarm for several reasons.
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